IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

The Lord Keeps Trying and Trying

Date: Sep. 14, 2015

Passage

Exodus 9:1-12 

The Fifth Plague: Egyptian Livestock Die

9:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, 3 behold, the hand of the LORD will fall with a very severe plague upon your livestock that are in the field, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. 4 But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that belongs to the people of Israel shall die.”’” 5 And the LORD set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.” 6 And the next day the LORD did this thing. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one of the livestock of the people of Israel died. 7 And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the livestock of Israel was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

The Sixth Plague: Boils

8 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw them in the air in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 It shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and become boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.” 10 So they took soot from the kiln and stood before Pharaoh. And Moses threw it in the air, and it became boils breaking out in sores on man and beast. 11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils came upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians. 12 But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had spoken to Moses.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: Exodus 9:5-6

5 And the LORD set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.” 6 And the next day the LORD did this thing. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one of the livestock of the people of Israel died.

First, there was a plague on the animals (1-7). Moses warned that the fifth act of judgment would strike the livestock. In doing this God was striking another symbolic blow, for more of Egypt's popular gods were the bull, cow and ram. This plague would deliver a symbolic impact. Despite God's patient attempts, Pharaoh hardened his heart all the more, sealing his own condemnation. He had no one to blame but himself. God was reaching out.

Second, the plague of boils (8-12). The furnace mentioned here was probably the furnace where human victims were sacrificed to the Egyptian god Typhon, offered up to avert the plagues. But these very ashes brought fresh plagues. The magicians were helpless to do anything. This plague proclaimed the helplessness of these Egyptian demonic gods to save. The God of the Hebrews was infinitely more powerful. Humanity must stop making sacrifices to "idols", hoping to be saved and come to only one who can save, the Lord God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for trying again and again to save us. Soften my heart so that I can respond to you.

One Word: Surrender to God who alone saves

Daily Bread

God is Our Deliverer

Psalm 78:40-72

Key Verse: 78:65

Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
like a strong man shouting because of wine.

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